Liquid fuel flatiron



J. SLEZAK LIQUID FUEL FLATIRON May 10, 1938.

Filed Feb. 24, 1956 3 Sheets-Sheet l T 2 n M an 9 7 mm 7- w W E m i 0 i 9 m 2 m 0 L H M Q Z/ D m F 0% w l M TIRON Filed Feb. 24, 1956 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 rrnrl .9 3 2 m w i a J 3 5 0 a w 1 L 9 w fl w 4 5 W W 2 w $00 2 m z i 1 L 2 ,1 5 4 y m M\ 30 r Q I 0002 9 Z \m 911 7 Z 9 J 5 9 5 m May 10, 1938. J. SLEZAK LIQUID FUEL FLATIRON S Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Feb. 24, 1936 .w// mm N 4 1 1 III w r uI Patented May 10, 1938 PATENT OFFICE LIQUID FUEL FLATIRON John Slezak, Sycamore, Ill., assignor to Turner Brass Works, Sycamore, 111., a corporation of Illinois Application February 24, 1936, Serial No. 65,362

6 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in devices adapted to use liquid fuel such as gasoline for heating purposes, and has special reference to improvements in gasoline fiat irons.

The object of the invention is to provide a flat iron which can be instantly lighted upon the turning on of the fuel; to provide an iron which will catch, hold and later evaporate any unvaporized liquid which is delivered to the burner; to provide a gasoline fiat-iron, the point of which will be kept hot in use, to the extent that it is well described by the term hot-point iron; to provide a simplified and improved structure including a pressure pump, a reservoir and a control valve which shall be convenient to use; and which shall be a sturdy device not easily put out of proper operating condition.

An important feature of my improved iron resides in its novel shape at the periphery of its bottom and particularly at its point and at its rear end where it is so formed that it materially assists in the flattening of ruffled or curled up portions of the cloth being operated upon.

Further features of importance relate to the construction and operation to the end that the iron shall be capable of being readily assembled, the various parts shall be so related that they will mutually assist in retaining each other in their relative positions, and the iron shall be efficient and economical in operation.

To the attainment of the above and other advantages the invention consists in the means herein fully described and particularly pointed out in the appended claims, the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, and the following description setting forth in detail one embodiment exemplifying the invention, such disclosed arrangement of parts and devices and combinations of parts constituting, however, but one of various applications of the principle of the invention.

The invention will be more readily understood by reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a fiat iron made Figure 6 is a fragmentary, vertical section on the line 6-6 of Fig. 3;

Figure 7 is a fragmentary horizontal section on the line 'I'I of Fig. 3;

Figure 8 is a side elevation of the fiat iron shown in combination with a stand particularly adapted for setting the iron in an inclined position;

Figure 9 is a top plan view of the flat iron stand;

Figure 10 is a longitudinal, vertical section on the line II0 of Fi 9;

Figure 11 is a transverse vertical section on the line II-II of Fig. 9;

Figure 12 is a fragmentary, horizontal section on the line I2-I2 of Fig. 3; and

Figure 13 is a fragmentary, vertical transverse section on the line I3I3 of Fig. 12.

The flat iron, as shown, has a hollow metallic body I, a handle 2 secured above the body in substantially the usual position and a reservoir or tank 3 for fuel, preferably gasoline, is securely mounted at the rear end of the body I, and handle 2. As shown the body I, contains the fuel gasifying and burning devices which are connected with the reservoir 3 to receive fuel therefrom and the handle contains an air pump connected to the tank 3 for forcing the air into same to place the contents under suitablepressure for proper operation.

The body I, has a relatively thick bottom wall 4, the bottom surface of which is smooth and flat as usual. The body is closed at its sides by side walls which merge together at the forward end 6 of the body to form the point of the iron. The rear end of the body is closed by a transverse wall I which extends transversely from the rear ends of the side walls 5 and which is provided with a central opening 8 extending from the bottom. wall 4 to the top of the body. At the sides of the opening 8 the rear end closure I extends forward in the form of vertical walls 9 which results in giving the opening 8 some length longitudinally of the body for a purpose to be described. The upper portion of the side walls 5 are provided with a series of vertical slots Ill exending down about a third of the height of the walls and the series extending from the rear end of the body to a point about a fourth of the length of the body from the point. These slots are for the escape of the gases of combustion from the interior of the body. The outer contour of the iron varies from the usual form in that the lower edge of the body flares outwardly quite perceptibly, thus providing a relatively thin edge at the periphery of the bottom for entering into ruffles or folds of the material being ironed.

This outward flaring of the bottom is most pronounced at the point as indicated at H, Fig. 3, and at the rear end of the body as shown at 12, Fig. 3.

The body member as shown is open at its top and is closed by a top plate 93 preferably formed up out of sheet metal and having its periphery l4 turned down forcontact with the top surface I5 of the body l to form a flat space I? to receive heat insulation material such as a sheet E8 of asbestos. The top plate is secured rigidly upon the body by screws I!) which pass through the plate and are received in threaded openings 2!) provided in lugs 2i preferably formed integrally with the body and extending inwardly from the side walls thereof. The upper ends of these lugs 2| are on a line with the lower ends of the slots I3 and they extend down about half way to the bottom a leaving the top surface of the bottom 4 substantially free of obstruction to permit the free application of heated gases thereto.

As stated the hollow body t contains the fuel burning devices. These consist of a burner tube 22 extending longitudinally of the body and in a transverse central position. This burner tube extends through the hollow body l parallel with the bottom 5 and raised above same about one quarter of an inch. Its rear end is closed and is secured to the bottom by a screw 23 a spacer tube 24 on the screw serving to set the burner tube at the desired height. Near the forward end of the body a central, vertical post 25 is provided which is preferably made integral with the body and is provided with a central chamber 26 extending vertically from the bottom 4 to the top of the post which ends at its top a little below the top surface of the body I. The top of the chamber 26 is closed by any suitable means such as a screw plug 21.

The wall of the post 25 is provided with openings to permit the passage of the burner tube through same and within the chamber 26 the burner tube is provided with openings 28 top and bottom for the free passage of fuel gases from the chamber 26 into the burner tube. The forward end portion of the burner tube 22 extends forward of the post 25 into the hollow point portion of the body and is closed at its extreme forward end as shown at 22'. The lower side of this forwardly extending portion of the burner tube is provided on its under side with a series of transverse burner slots 36 which project the burning gases down upon the bottom 4 of the point portion of the iron and serve to keep the point very hot in use. The portion of the burner tube extending rearwardly from the post 25 is also provided with a series 3! of transverse burner slots on its under side adapted to project the burning gases down against the bottom 4. This series of slots extends from the post 25 to a point near the rear end of the tube 22. The upper side of the burner tube, near its rear end is also provided with a short series 32 of the transverse burner slots to heat the gas generator as will be described.

It will be obvious from the showing in the drawings that the hollow post 25 blocks off to a considerable extent the connection of the hollow point of the iron with the main hollow body portion and thus restricts the free escape of the gases of combustion from said hollow point portion and particularly in View of the fact that the escape slots [0 in the side walls of the body, as best shown in Fig. 2, do not connect directly with the hollow point, but that all of the products of combustion from the portion 29 of the burner tube within the hollow point must escape through the narrow passages as best shown in Fig. 2, between the sides of the hollow post 25 and the adjacent side walls of the iron.

This restriction of the escape of the gases of combustion from the hollow point is the principal reason for the success in producing a point on the iron which is maintained satisfactorily hot during use.

Near the upper end of the post 25 its rear wall is provided with an opening 33 for receiving the forward end of a substantially horizontal tube 34 which servesas a mixing chamber. This tube 3 i extends back; to about the middle of the body and its rear end 35 is partially closed to provide a central opening 36 to receive the delivery end 31 of a generating tube 38 which will be described more fully.

The top surface l5 of the body is inclined slightly downwardly from. the front end of the body towards the rear end and the mixing tube 34 is substantially parallel with thistop surface. This mixing tube is fixed in position by being screwed into the opening 33, the tube and opening being co-operatively threaded for this purpose.

The fuel is projected into the rear end of the mixing tube by the generating tube and the air for combustion purposes enters the mixing tube through an opening 39 in the top plate I3, an air tube 33 having its upper end secured in the top plate and extending down into the hollow body to a point below the mixing tube 34. The upper end of the air tube 43 is Open and its lower end (H is closed. The air tube 43 is provided in its walls with openings to permit the passage of the mixing tube and the mixing tube is provided with openings 42 top and bottom within the air tube to permit the free passage of air for combustion purposes. The mixing tube 34 is enough smaller in diameter than the air tube to permit the air to enter the mixing tube through both openings 42.

For convenience in assembling the parts a spacer tube 43 is arranged on themixing tube between the post 25 and the air tube All. The air tube 43 is secured to the top plate by having its upper end formed over as shown at 44.

The generating tube 38 is a relatively small tube, its inner end 3'! enters the opening 36 at the rear end of the mixing tube and is centered in the mixing tube thereby, and its rear end is connected to a valve member 45 through which both gaseous and liquid fuel are fed to the generator tube 38 from the tank 3. The generator tube passes through the opening 8 at the rear end of the body I. The delivery end of the generator tube ends in a nozzle 46 providedwith a small fuel delivery opening 41. The generator tube is arranged just above the burner slots 32 in the burner tube 22 so that the fuel in passing through the generator tube will be gasified before it enters the mixing tube 34. It sometimes occurs that the raw or unvaporized fuel is carried over into the burner before the burner is properly started, and I provide the lower part 48 of the passage 26 in the post 25 below the burner tube of sufficient capacity to ordinarily catch and retain such unvaporized fuel. As the iron is heated for operation such raw fuel is vaporized and passes ofi through the burner. It also sometimes occurs that this provision is not sufiicient to catch and retain all of the raw fuel or for some other reason some raw or unvaporized. fuel may be deposited in the bottom of the hollow body. I have found that such overflow occurs usually near the point of the iron and I provide a relatively low cross wall or dam 49 about midway of the iron to prevent, at least to some extent, the spreading out of such overflow.

As another point of safety I provide a second cross wall or dam 58 at the inner end of the bottom of the rear opening 8.

To assist in the economical heating of the iron body I provide a series of low ribs 5| extending out from the side walls on the bottom of the body I. These ribs extend about one third of the width of the bottom as shown, and add to the heat inductive surface of the body.

The projections 52 between the outlet slots H] at the tops of the side walls of the body are somewhat V-shaped at their inner sides as shown at 53, thus providing deflecting walls at the sides of the escape slots which tend to cause the gases to eddy or whirl, thus somewhat retarding their escape and increasing the efficiency of the iron in its use of fuel.

The handle 2 is securely attached to the body of the iron by means of a U-shaped bracket or frame 54 having a bottom bar 54 secured to the top plate I3 by a bolt 55, near the forward end and a bolt 55' near the rear end of the top plate which is provided with formed up portions 55 where the bolts are received to reduce the metallic contact between the top plate l3 and the handle bracket for the purpose of reducing the transmission of heat to the handle bracket. The rear bolt 55' serves to bolt the asbestos sheet M3 to the top plate and also to secure a trough-like sheet metal guard 51 above the generator tube 38. This guard protects the asbestos sheet from the direct impingement of the flames rising from the burner tube through the burner slots 32 against the generator tube.

The guard 51 is spaced from the asbestos sheet I8 by a spacer washer 58 on the bolt 55' between the asbestos sheet and the guard, thus providing an open or air space between the two for heat insulation. The bottom bar 54' of the handle bracket is provided with an opening 59 above the air tube 40 to admit air freely into the air tube and the bar 54 is spaced above the top end of the air tube 40 to permit air to enter the tube 40 beneath the bar 56 as well as through the opening 59 thus tending to keep the top plate [3 cool.

The bracket 54 has an upstanding bar 68 at its forward end to the upper end of which the forward end of the handle 2 is secured and an upstanding bar (it at its rear end to which the rear end of the handle 2 is secured.

The bottom bar 54 of the bracket 54 is provided with a, rigid rearward extension 62 to which the reservoir 3 and the valve member are secured.

The forward bar 60 of the bracket 54 is inclined rearwardly as shown nearly in line with the inclination of the point of the body of the iron. The handle 2, which is shorter than the body of the iron is thus positioned above the rear or broader portion of the body and in such position that the pressure which is applied to the handle in operation is transmitted directly to the rear or broader portion of the body.

The handle 2 is inclined rearwardly and downwardly at quite an angle to the flat bottom of the iron and as the pressure is naturally applied to the handle at a right angle thereto, there is a resultant forward pressure applied to the body which greatly assists in the operation of ironing.

The handle 2 is made of any suitable material such as wood, which is a nonconductor of heat, and is provided with a central longitudinal bore 63 to receive a pump barrel 54. This barrel is a thin walled metal tube and the forward end of the barrel is received in an opening 68' in the upper end of the bar 68 through which the pump barrel can be slid into place Within the handle while theparts are being assembled.

The rear end of the pump barrel is closed by a fixed head 65 which is relatively long and is provided with a central passage 66 for the air. The passage 66 is enlarged at its inner end and is internally screw threaded to receive the inner end 61 of a pump rod 68 for securing the rod in inoperative position, as will be more fully described, the outer end of the air passage 56 being enlarged to receive a spring pressed check valve 69 which prevents the escape of the compressed air back into the pump.

The outer end of the head member is reduced in diameter and is externally threaded to receive a draw nut 18 by which the barrel is firmly clamped to the upper end of the rear bracket bar 6|.

The rear bar 6!, as best shown in Fig. 7, is provided with an opening H which is flattened at its sides. The head 55 of the pump barrel has a collar portion 12 which is formed on its periphery to fit within said flat sided opening H and prevent the pump barrel from rotating when the parts are being assembled or disassembled. The barrel is firmly clamped against endwise movement by the draw nut 78 which contacts with the outer surface of the bracket member 6| and when tightened draws the end of the pump barrel againstthe inner side of the bracket member. The extreme outer end 13 of the head is further reduced in diameter and is externally threaded to'receive a packing nut M for making an air tight connection with a small air tube 15 which leads to the reservoir 3. The tube 15, in assembling the parts slides freely through the nut M and its contained packing and into the outer end of the air passage 66 in the head 85.

The forward end l8 of the pump barrel is internally threaded to receive a head H which is co-operatively threaded and has a flange 18 adapted to contact with the outer surface of the front bar of the handle bracket 54, the arrangement being such that when the handle 2 is in place and the head 11 is screwed in against the adjacent end of the barrel 64, the handle 2 is tightly clamped between the two bracket parts 60 and BI.

The head H has a central bore 19 through which the pump rod 68 can slide back and forth freely. The inner end of the pump rod is provided with the usual flexible walled piston 88 and the outer end is provided with an operating handle 8! preferably in the form of a ball which is fixed on the outer end of the rod.

The rear end of the handle is provided with a circumferential enlargement 82 which is cut away at its lower side as shown at 83 to receive the upper end 84 of the rear bracket member 6! and overlap the sides thereof to hold the handle 2 against rotation.

The forward end of the handle has similar engagement with the upper end of theforward bracket member 60. This construction permits III the handle 2 to be pushed down onto and between the two bracket members before the pump barrel is assembled with same.

The enlargement 82 at the rear end of the handle is provided with a reduced circumferential end portion 85 to receive the forward end of a U-shaped sheet metal cover member 86 which is formed to extend over the reservoir 3, cover up the connections and produce a smooth and ornamental termination of the handle.

The air pipe I5 is connected to the reservoir 3 through a screw plug 87 which is screwed tightly in a threaded opening provided in the top wall of the reservoir. This plug has a central bore 88 extending from its bottom end and ending below the upper end of the plug and the air pipe 15 projects through the wall of the plug, being secured rigidly in place and in pressure tight condition as by soldering. The tube I5 is in axial alignment with the pump cylinder and the adjacent end connections so that it can be readily pushed into assembled relation therewith. The cover member is secured by a screw 85 which clamps the cover member to and upon the top of the screw plug 81. The valve member 45 is provided with an upstanding nozzle 09 adapted to be screwed into a threaded opening provided in the bottom wall of the reservoir. The body of the valve member is provided with a fiat shoulder 90 to contact with the lower surface of the rearward extension 62 of the handle bracket 54, which is provided with a slot 9I open at its rear end and having parallel sides 92 arranged to straddle vertical shoulders 93 on the nozzle 89 just above the flat shoulder 90.

The nozzle 89 is externally threaded to receive a draw nut 94 to clamp the valve member 45 to the bracket extension 62. A washer member 95 is preferably arranged between the nut 94 and the bracket member.

The generator tube 38 extends rearwardly from the mixing tube 34 to the forward end of the valve body 45 and is preferably removably connected thereto by a compression nut 96, the valve body having a forwardly projecting nozzle 9'! Which is externally screw-threaded to receive the nut. The end of the nozzle is coned as shown at 98 and the adjacent end of the tube 30 is flared out to fit against this coned surface and the outer end 99 of the nut 96 is co-operatively internally coned to tightly clamp the rear end of the tube 38 to the valve body.

The valve body 45 has a horizontal bore I which is internally screw threaded to receive a co-operatively threaded valve stem I 0!. The horizontal bore I00 is connected with a vertical passage I02 extending up through the nozzle 89 and opening into the reservoir adjacent to the bottom thereof and through which liquid fuel is fed. A valve seat I03 is provided in the bore I00 beyond the passage I02 and the valve stem is provided with a coned shoulder I04 adapted to be closed on said seat to stop the flow of fuel.

' The valve stem IN is reduced in diameter beyond the shoulder I04 and has an internally screw-threaded opening IOI in its free end'to receive the rear end of a needle member I05 which projects centrally through the generator tube 38 and is provided, on its free end, with a fine needle point I 06 for entering and clearing the small delivery orifice 41 when the fuel controlling valve IOI is closed to its seat. The valve IOI projects to the rear through a suitable stuffing box I0! including a packing nut I08 and is provided on its outer end with a suitable hand wheel I09.

At the upper end of the supply passage I02 in the valve body a short tube H0 is secured and which projects up into the bottom of the reservoir. This tube I I0 is provided with several small inlet openings II I in its side wall through which the liquid fuel in the reservoir enters the tube i I0. The upper end of the tube H0 is preferably closed.

Besides the fuel feed passage H0 there is a second fuel feed passage II2 extending through the valve nozzle 89 which .is extended to the top of the tank 3 by a tube H3 the upper end of which extends up within the relatively large opening 88 in the top plug 81, and is open at its upper end to permit the carburetted air in the tank to enter the tube.

As best shown in Fig. 13 this second supply passage IIZ. connects at its lower end with a horizontal passage II4 which extends through a nozzle H4 011 the valve body 45 and which passage connects at its inner end with the valve passage I00. This fuel passage is controlled by a valve H5 at the inner end of a valve stem Ill} which is provided at its outer end with a valve handle i ll. The valve stem I I6 is sealed against the escape of fuel by a suitable packing nut H8 and packing H0. The valve H5 is adapted to close on a seat I20 at the inner end of the passage IE3 and thus control the flow of the carburetted air from the top of the tank 3 to the passage I 00 and hence to the generator tube 33.

When the valve IOI is closed no fuel can flow to the generator tube 38 and when the valve I0! is opened and the valve II 5 is closed only liquid fuel from the lower part of the tank 3 can flow to the generator tube, but when both valves are open, the carburetted air from'the top of the tank and liquid fuel from the bottom of the tank will flow to the generator tube and this mixture is easily ignited to start the burner into operation. After the burner has started and has heated up, the valve I I5 is closed and then only liquid fuel from the bottom of the tank 3 is supplied to the'generator tube. At this time it is best to again force air into the tank 3 by the air pump as the use of the carburetted air lowers the pressure in the tank.

In Figs. 8 to 11, inclusive, I have illustrated an improved stand I 25 for the iron, especially adapted for holding the iron steadily or securely in an inclined position when operating the pump.

The stand I25 is made of sheet metal and has a top plate I26 which is shaped similarly to the bottom of the iron, that is it is relatively wide at its rear end and when the iron is set thereon, the rear end of the iron is just above the rear end of the top plate. At the ends of the plate the metal is formed down to provide supports I21 at the rear end and I28 at the front end and the metal is rounded up again to form smooth rounded surfaces for contact with the support on which the stand is placed.

The lateral edges of the stand are formed upward to rise above the bottom of the iron as shown at I29, and due to the fact that the iron is narrower at each end than at its middle portion, the iron, once placed on the stand within the side flanges I29 is held safely against slipping off the stand in any direction.

To assist in preventing an excessive transmission of heat from the iron to the stand, the

stand is provided with a number of formed-up projections I30 with which the bottom of the iron contacts and it is, therefore, held in spaced relation to the top plate I26. In other words there is a film or layer of air provided between the plate and the iron.

The flanges I29 extend clear to the rear end of the top plate and they are inclined laterally toward each other so that they engage the rear ends of the lateral edges of the iron when the iron is tilted rearwardly as shown in Fig. 8, for convenience in operating the pump.

The iron is easily tilted up as shown and held securely in such position by pressing downwardly upon the top of the tank 3, the rear end of the body of the iron pivoting on the rear end of the stand as above described.

As many modifications of the several advantageous features of the invention will readily suggest themselves to one skilled in the art I do not limit or confine the invention tothe specific detail of construction or the combinations of parts and devices as herein shown and described except Within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim: I

l. The improvements herein described and comprising a fluid fuel fiat iron having a hollow metal body including a hollow point portion, a hollow post supported on the bottom of the iron and arranged between the point portion and the main portion of the body, a burner tube projecting through said post into the point portion of the iron, means for feeding fluid fuel through said hollow post to said burner tube, said post arranged and adapted to restrict the free escape of the products of combustion from said point portion.

2. The invention as defined in claim 1 said post being integral with the bottom and top portion of the body of the iron.

3. The invention as defined in claim 1, the means for feeding fuel through said hollow post including a mixing tube in the upper part of the body having its delivery end connected with the upper part of said hollow post and an air inlet tube connected with said mixing tube and opening through the top of the body of the iron.

4. The improvements herein described and comprising a fluid fuel flat iron having a hollow body including a hollow point portion, a hollow post upstanding from the bottom of the iron arranged and adapted to partly close off the point portion from the main portion of the body, a burner tube projecting through said hollow post and into said hollow point, the major portion of the burner tube projecting rearwardly from said post, and means for supplying fluid fuel to said burner tube through said hollow post.

5. The invention as defined in claim 1, and including a fuel mixing tube above the burner tube and connected with the upper part of the hollow post, and said burner tube being readily removable from the body of the iron without disturbing the fuel mixing tube.

6. The improvements herein described and comprising a fluid fuel flat-iron, having a hollow metal body including a hollow point portion, a

burner tube projecting into the hollow point,

and a baflie disposed above the bottom of the iron and closing ofi the hollow point from the main body of the iron except adjacent to the side walls of the iron.

JOHN SLEZAK. 

